Fiber-Complected and Reeled Microstructure of Insect Cuticle and Biomimetic Fabrication

Abstract:

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A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used for the observation of the microstructures of a chafer cuticle. It showed that the cuticle is a kind of biocomposite consisting of complected chitin-fiber plies and sclerous protein matrix. The observation also showed that there are many holes in the cuticle and the complected fibers continuously reel these holes forming a kind of fiber-complected and reeled microstructure. Based on the SEM observation, a kind of biomimetic composite laminate with complected and reeled structure was fabricated with a special mould and process. The ultimate strength of the obtained biomimetic composite laminate was experimentally investigated and compared with that of the conventional drilling-hole composite laminate. It showed that the ultimate strength of the biomimetic composite laminate is markedly larger than that of the drilling-hole composite laminate.

Abstract: A scanning electronic microscope (SEM) was used for observing the microstructures of a Cockle shell. It showed that the shell is a kind of natural bioceramic composite consisting of aragonite sheets and organic collagen matrix. The aragonite sheets are further composed of aragonite fibers. The aragonite fibers are of long and thin shape and compose various reinforced microstructures, which include a kind of fiber-intersected reinforced one. The fiber-intersected reinforced microstructure was employed as the design example for the structure of man-made fiber-reinforced composite, a kind of fiber-reinforced composite with the fiber-intersected reinforced structure was biomimetically fabricated. The fracture toughness of the biomimetical composite was tested and compared with that of the conventional composite with fiber-parallel structure. It indicated that the fracture toughness of the biomimetical composite is markedly larger than that of the fiber-parallel composite.

Abstract: The microstructures of a whangee (a kind of bamboo) were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). It showed that the whangee is a kind of natural cellular biocomposite consisting of countless bamboo cells. The bamboo cells are columnar and all of them are parallel with the surface of the bamboo. The observation also showed that the walls of the bamboo cell are a kind of fiber-reinforced biocomposite with bamboo fiber-spiral mcirstructure. Based on the SEM observation, a kind of biomimetic composite with the fiber-spiral structure was fabricated. The fracture toughness of the composite was investigated and compared with that of the conventional composite with parallel-fiber structure. It showed that the fracture toughness of the biomimetic composite is markedly larger than that of the conventional composite.